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(Model.)

W. D. DOREMUS.

LOCK.

- No. 874,784. Patentedbep. 18, 1887.

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'UNITE STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD D. DOREMUS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT COLUMBIA.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,784, dated December 13, 1887.

Application iled September 19, 1887. Serial No. 250,079. (Model.)

scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and iigures of reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention has relation to improvements in locks of that class particularly and specially adapted for use 'in places where a great number of boxes or receptacles are used-as the post-offices, hotels, and public buildings having mail-boXes-and the object is to provide a lock which may be locked by any key having wards or steps corresponding to the number oftumblers in the lock, but Which,being locked by any key, can only beunlocked by the same key or its duplicate, and especially to provide a lock Which,when the key is lost or outstanding in the possession of one not entitled to its use, may be so manipulated from the inside that the combination or arrangement of the tumblers will be changed and altered to suit another key.

The primary principles of this invention are described, shown, and specifically claimed in that certain lock invented by me and for which Letters Patent were granted September 20, 1887, No. 370,183. I therefore in this applif cation make claim only to the improvements which specially adapt this lock. to the uses mentioned, and not claimed in my said cited and former application.

Ihave fully and clearlyillustrated myinvention in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein-- Figure l is a plan view of the lock having v one side removed, showing the parts assembled and in unlocked position. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the lock in locked posi- Fig. 3 is a view of one of the tumblers. Fig. 4. is a view of one of the locking-plates. Fig. 5-is a view of the bolt-plate. Fig. 6 is a view of the key-spindle and spindle-arm. Fig.

7 is a view of a key suited to a lock having two tumblers. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the setting-disk of the locking-plates. y Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken through the center of the key-spindle and lock on the line x fr of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a view of the inner plate of the casing. Fig. Il is a view of the plate inserted between the tumblers and lockingplates.

Reference being had to the drawings, A designates the casing, consisting of a plate having a rim-piece, 1, in the side of which is formed a slot orway, 2, for the latch-lug of the bolt, and having a detachable cover plate, B. The cover-plateBisl formed with a slot, 3, in which a pin on the bolt is arranged, and also has an irregular-shaped opening, 4, through which the pin on the settingdisk of the locking-v plates projects. In the casing is fixed a pin, 5, on which the tumblers are pivotally supported, substantially as shown, and in the rear of the casing is a guide-stump, 6, to hold the locking-plates in position when the bolt-plate is in unlocked position, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

C designates the bolt-plate, consisting of a metal plate fitting the width of the casing and made shorter to permit it to have the requisite reciprocations to lock land unlock. In the rear of the bolt-plate is a slot, 7, to engage the guidestump 6,and in the other end is an openend slot, 8, to engage the tumbler-pin 5, on which the tumblers are supported. Slots 9 and 10 are also made in the bolt-plate,through whichthe screws project which fasten the cover and the case together, and thus permit the bolt-plate to slide back and forth. At a proper point on the Ibolt-plate is a pin, ce, on which the locking-plates are mounted and move as a bearing. From the edge of the bolt-plate is projected a lug, l2, which is arranged to project through the slot 2 of the rim-piece,- and is secured in a recess in a spring-latch, 13, of the usual constructionarranged in a chamber kor sleeve, 14., on the side of the casing, substantially as shown. A keyrecess, 1l, is formed in the bolt-plate, within which the arm of the key-spindle rotates to move the bolt-plate. This key-recess is formed with a lug or step, d, against which the end IOO of the arm of the key-spindle lodges when the bolt-plate is moved to unlock the lock, and thus prevents the bolt-plate from being lnoved so far back as to separate the locking-plates and tumblers as to permit another key to be used in locking the lock. This lug d also prevents the key from moving the key-spindle with its slot to register with the opposite keyway and the key to be withdrawn with the lock in an unlocked position. By reason of thus limiting the movement of the arm of the key-spindle, should the latch be sprung into engagement with its keeper, the key must be turned to bring the locking-plates and tumblers into engagement before it can be withdrawn.

On the edge of the bolt-plate is a fiange, 15, against which the free ends of the tumblersprings bear, and at the end of this flange is a pin, 16, which is arranged in the slot or cutaway place in the cover-plate andserves as a means for sliding the bolt plate back and unlocking the lock when the tumblers and locking-plates are manipulated from the inside of the door which carries the bolt, as hereinafter specified more fully.

D designates the tumblers, substantially of the form shown in the drawings. The tumblers are provided with bearing-holes 17 to take the pin 5 in the casing and have curved outer ends formed with teeth or notches 18 to engage with the teeth on the locking-plates, as hereinafter specied.V Each tumbler is provided with a spring, b, carried forward and arranged to bear with its free end against the flange 15 on the bolt-plate. The force of these springs carrics the respective tumblers down after being lifted by the key.

E designates the locking-plates, mounted on the bearing-pin a on the bolt-plate and formed with open-end slots 19 to take the stump (i in the casing. The edge of each locking-plate on the side next to the ends of the tumblers is formed with teeth or notches 20 to engage with the teeth on the tumblers and to move the plate after engagement, as hereinafter specified. In each lockingplate is formed a curved slot, 21, concentric with the axis of the plate and starting at its lower end on a line parallel with the slots 19. Excepting that the lockingplates have the curved slot 21, the tumblers and locking-plates are of the same construction and operate similarly to the tumblers and locking-plates shown and described in my said heretofore-cited application, and I make no claim, broadly, to their construction in this application, my improvements consisting in the means now about to be described for changing the relation of the plates and tumblers and p setting the lock for a new and different key.

To give the tumblers and locking-plates free action, I insert plates F between them. These plates are of the form shown and have curved slots coincident with the curved slots of the lockingplates, as shown. The separatingplates have open-end slots 22 to register with the open-end slots of the locking-plates and engage the stump in the casing.

G designates the setting-disk, provided with a central hole, 23, to journal on the pin which supports the lockingplates, and has a pin, 24, projected through it and suitably secured. One'arm of this pin 24. sets in the curved slots 21 of the locking-plates and the other end projects through the irregular `opening 4 of the cover-plate B. This setting-disk serves to turn the tumblers all into the same position,

with their open-end slots arranged to engage the stump of the casing.

H designates thekey-spindle, having a pivot end, 25, titted in a bearing in the casing, and provided with an arm, 26, to engage the recess inthe bolt-plate and move it in either direction. The key-spindle is slotted, as at 27, to take the key, as usual. A barrel or casing, 28, is fixed in the plate of the casing and has keyways 29 on opposite sides, which register with the key when inserted. A key, I, is provided, which is formed with as many steps as there are tumblers in the lock. There may be as many tumblers and locking-plates as desired, the principle or mode of operation of the lock being adapted to one or more.

The parts are assembled as follows: The bolt-plate is arranged wit-hin the casing with its latch-lug in the slot in the rim and the slots at the ends over the stump and pin in the casing. The latch-lug being fitted in the place in the spring-latch to receive it, the keyspindle is then inserted. One of the tumblers and one of the locking-plates are now mounted on their respective bearings. The separatingplate is then arranged in position, then the other tumblers and locking-plate arranged in their respective bearings, the setti ng-disk then putin place, and then the cover-plate arranged in position and secured fast. The parts should be assembled to leave the lock in unlocked condition, so as to be ready to receive any selected key.

yThe operation may be stated as follows: The

IIO

key being inserted and turned, the tumblers are lifted to different heights, and when at their limit the locking-plates are brought into engagement with their respective tumblers and the slots withdrawn from the stump atthe end of the bolt-plate. The key being further rotated, the tumblers are pressed down by the springs, carrying with them the respective locking-plates, each-being moved a different distance, and throwing the open-end slots ont of alignment with each other, and so as notto register with thestump, and so that the edges of the locking-plates abut against the end of the stump, and thus set the parts in locked position. It will be perceived that the boltplate cannot be released from its locked position until the slots of the locking-plates are again brought in alignment with the stump, and that this cannot be done except by a key having the same steps as that which moved the bolt into locked position. After being rposition it stands when locked.

turned into an unlocked condition, any key with any depth of steps vmay be used to lock it; but, having been locked, then that special key is alone applicable to ctl'ect the reversev movement. This description of the operation is identical with that given of my last-cited invention heretofore allowed.

If it be desired to change the keys, or from any cause it be desired to change the relative position of thetumblers, or to unlock the lock in the absence of the key, this can be done by the following manipulations: A small blade or point of any suitable instrument is inserted from the inside in the slot of the key-spindle and the spindle turned onequarter around. This brings the end of the spindle-arm away from the end of the recess in the bolt-plate to the position seen in Fig. l of the drawings. This permits the bolt-plate to be moved, if the tumblers and lock-plate are separated; but this movement of the key-spindle has not disturbed them. After turning the key-spindle as indicated, pressure is applied on the projecting pin of the setting-disk, pushing down and toward the adjacent end of the easing. This movement, by means ofthe inner pin in the curved slots of the locking-plates, brings the locking-plates with the open-end slots all in alignment with the stub in the casing, and then by pushing on the pin of the setting-disk, or on the projecting pin of the bolt-plate, the bolt-plate is slid back, separating the tumblers from the locking-plates and unlocking the lock and putting it in position for a new key. The same operation is necessary should .the locking-plates be brought into engagement with the tumblers by bringing them together without a key after turning the key-spindle from the inside to bring the end of the arm in the In case the locking-plates and bolt-plate are not moved clear back by the setting-disk, they may be so moved by the projecting pin on the bolt-plate.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with the casing of a' lock having a stump, 6, and -formed with an opening, as 4, in its inner plate, the bolt-plate formed with a slot to engage the stu mp in the casing, a keyspindle to move the bolt-plate, and a springactuated tumbler fulcrumed in the easing and provided with teeth on its free end, of a locking-plate pivoted on the boltplate and having a slot to engage the stump in the casing and formed with a curved slot arranged concentric with its axis, and a setting-disk mountedon the pivot of the lockingplate and provided with a pin, one part of which engages in the curved slot of the lockingplates and the other part projecting through the opening of the casing, whereby the locking-plate may be brought with its slot to register with the stump of the casing and the lock unlocked from the inner side, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with t-he casing of a lock having a stump, 6, and provided with an opening, as 4L, in its inner plate, the bolt-plate formedwith a slot to engage the stump, and a spring-actuated tumbler pivoted in the casing and provided with teeth on. its free end, of a locking-plate pivoted on the bolt-plate and having a slot to engage the stump in the casing and formed with a curved slot arranged concentric with its axis, a setting-disk' pivoted von the pivot of thelocking-plate and provided with a pin, one part ot' which engages in the curved slot of the locking-plate and the other projected Ythrough the opening in the casing, and a pin iixed on the bolt-plate and proj ected through a slot in the casing,whereby the locking-plate may be turned with its slot to engage the stump of the casing and the bolt-plate moved from a locked position, substantially as described. 3. The combination, in a lock, with the casing formed with a stump, 6, and an opening in its inner plates, the bolt-plate formed with a slot to engage the stump of the casing, a l

key and spindle to move the bolt-plate, and a number of spring-actuated tnmblers fulcrumed in the casing and formed with teeth in their free ends, of a number of lockingplates having teeth on their edges to engage the teeth of the tumblers and pivotally 'mounted on the bolt-plate to move therewith and'formed with curved slots arranged concentric to their axis, and a setting-disk pivotally mounted on the pivot of the lockingplates and provided with a pin, one part of which engages in the slots of the lockingplates and the other part projecting through the opening in the inner plate oi' the casing, whereby all the slots. of the locking-plates VIOO may be made to register with the stump and the lock unlocked from the inside, substantially as described.

4. In a lock, the combinutiomwith the boltplate, of locking-plates mounted thereon to move therewith and engage the tumblers of the lock and formed with curved slots arranged concentric to their axis, and a setting-disk pivotally mounted on. the axis of the locking-plates and provided with a pin arranged to engage the slots of the lockingplates and throw them all into synchronistic relation, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the casing of a lock having a stump, 6, and a rotatable keyspindle formed with an arm to move the bolt,

of a bolt-plate formed with a slot to engage' the stump in the easing and having a key-` recess, 11, formed with a step or lug, d, whereby the rotation of the key-spindle is limited and the bolt-plate stopped short of its full movement, substantially as described,

and for the purpose stated.

6. The combination', with a casing of a IIO lock having a stump, 6, and a rotatable keyv limit the rotation of the spindle-arm, tum- In testimony whereoflafix my signature in 1o blers mounted in the easing, locking-plates l presence of two witnesses.

mounted on the boltplate to move therev v v with and formed with open-end slots to en- W'ILLARD D. DOREMUS. gage the stump of the casing, and a key to turn the spindle with its arm to lodge against Witnesses:

the lug of the key -reces'srin the bolt-plate, H. A. ROBINSON, substantially as described, and for the purpose J As. W. TOWNER. specified. 

